Wheel-flange lubricator.



J; M. WOODS & P. E. M. GIESBBRECHT.

WHEEL FLANGE LUBRIOATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1913.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.,

2 SEE i S-SHEET 1 an; 3 v 4E THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHom-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D C.

J. M. WOODS & F. E. M. GIESEBRECHT.

WHEEL FLANGE LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1913.

1,1 10,276, Patented Sept. 8,191L

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I jaw/W 255522371666 fasqvh Jfi nodli THE NORRIS PETERS cm. PHOTOLITHOU WASHINGTON. D c.

JOSEPH M. woons AND FREDERICK n. M. einsnnnnorirfor c aiciaeo, ILLINOIS. i

, WHEEL-FLANGE LUBEICAI'OB.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osnrn M. Woons, a citizen of the United States, and FREDE- RICK E. M. Ginsnnnnonr, subject of the Emperor of Germany, both I residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin VVheel-Flange Lubricators, of which theifollowing is a specification. I

The essential object of this invention is to provide a simple and COllVGIllQIliZ'lIIEHHS for applying lubricant between the flange of a car wheel and the side of the tread of the rail upon which the wheel is riding, and the lubricant is intended to be applied at such times as the car is rounding a curve, or otherwise producing agrinding upon the rails. v e

As is well known, the rails forming the track are ordinarily so gaged that the inner edge of the rail tread is about one-halfinch from the fiange'of the'wheel; but when the track is curved the wheel on theouter side will have its flange pressed-tightly against the rail, while the wheel on the opposite or inner side of the curve will have itsfiange about an inch from the tread of thelrail.

- The essential object of theinvention is to;

apply a sufficient quantity of oil, grease, or

other lubricant, between the flange of the wheel riding upon the'outer rail of the track and therail itself. The term outer is used to designate that rail of the track having the larger radius, whereasthe' term inner designates the rail having the Although the invention 'isdesigned for use primarily to operate at curves, it will also operate under other circumstances where the wheels grind upon the rails, whether because of unevenness in the track or roadbed, or other similar causes.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of a pair of wheels to which. the in vention is applied, the rails and a part of one wheel being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a top plan view looking downwardly from above, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the oil cup orgrease cup applied in tdliffililt position from that depicted in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one of the grease cups"; Fig. 5 is a viewpartly in section and partly in elevation, of

a slightly modified form of grease cup; Fig. I '6 is a top plan view of o ne ofthe grease cups looking downwardly in Fig. 4; Fig.

- Fig. 4.

"head 25,

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patent 1 S t; 8 Application filed June 6,1913.

Serial No. 772,036. T

The rails upon. which the wheels 21 are adapted to travel are provided with the customary flange 2, webLS, and tread 4, and the wheel itself has the ordinary tire! or riding surface 5 and flange 6. -As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thewheel is pro- .vided with a perforation 01' perforations 7, wl ich areso disposed that when the perforation is in itslowerinost position, its axis will be at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the perpendicular; through each perforation 7 the nipple 8 projects, the construction of which is best shown in The cup 9, which is adapted tocontain the oil or grease, nay be secured by a bracket 10'to:the axle 11 (Figs. 1 and 6), or it may be bolted or otherwise secured to the wheel itself 3 and 7).' In this last-mentioned construction the grease cup *9 carries ear 12 perforated at 13, and bolts 14 pass through said perforations 18 and into the tire 5 or spoke 15 orboth. Extending from the grease cup 9 to the nipple 8 is a pipeor tube 16. The grease cup is perforated at 17; and the threaded stud 18 projects from the cup 9; the tube 16 is secured to the threaded boss 18 by the union coupling 20. In a similar and obviousmanner (Fig. 4) the union coupling 21 securesthe opposite end of tubelG to the nipple 8.

Within the nipple 8 (Fig. 4) the plunger 22 is retained, one endfofsaid plungerbeing adapted to extend beyond the mouth of said nipple 8 fora short distance," as best shown in Figs. .4 and 5. The plunger-22 contains a longitudinal perforation'23 and another perforation or perforations 24 which are in connection with the perforation 23; the plunger 22Icarries-the beveled which fits against; the seat 26 formed" within the nipple 8. The plunger head 25 is received within the cavity 27,

which cavity is somewhat larger in diaineter'than thecylindrical opening 29 within which the main part of-the plungerj22 is adapted 'to slide. When the plunger 22 is forced toward the right (Fig. 4) the openings or conduits 24 ride beyond the seat 24 and thus the lubricant within the chainber 27'is permitted topassthroughthe con- 1 duits 23 and 24, thus to escape at the left out of the device when the parts are in that position.

lVithin the cup 9 is' a piston-like head 30, provided with a central aperture 31; said aperture 31 is normally closed by a valve 32 pivoted to the head 30 at 33. The top 34- carries a bolt 35 pivoted to'the main body of the cup; a butterfly nut 36 adapted to screw upon the bolt 35' holds the cover 34 closed and the helical spring 37 which is interposed between the under surface of the cover 3 1 and the piston-head 30, normally presses said piston-head 30 toward the discharge opening 17. When the wheels are riding upon a straight and level stretch of track, the plunger 22 .will remain out of en gagement 1th the rails because said plunger 22 proj ects-only a fraction of an inch beyond the flange of the wheel; but whenever the wheel grinds upon the rails, whether be and the rail tread. Since the helical spring 37 is constantly pressing the piston-head 30 toward the discharge end, the lubricant, will thus be constantly pressed through the tube or pipe 16 and toward the nipple 8; and since the In bricant will thus at all times be retained under pressure within the chamber 27 the lubricant will press upon the beveled head 25, thus normally tending to force the plunger to the position of Fig. 4L. As the wheel revolves upon the track and whenever it grinds upon the rail, the rail will force the plunger 22 toward the right (Fig. 1) thus permitting a small quantity of lubricant to enter the conduits within the plunger, and almost instantaneously after the left-to-right movement of the plunger caused by the rail, the pressure of the lubricant within the apparatus will force the plunger back from right to left, thus sealing the mouths of'thexconduits 24 and preventing the flange of the wheel. Whenever the flange strikes the plunger, it will force same inwardly and the operation of the device will be the same as with the preferred forms of the invention, the only difference between the form depicted in Fig. 8 and the other forms being that in one case it is the flange of the wheel which strikes and actuates the plunger, whereas in the other forms, it is the rail itself.

In order to fill the cup 9 with lubricant after the supply has run low or become eX- hausted, the nut 36 is turned so as to permit the opening of the cover 34; when the cover 34 has been swung upon pivot d1 as a hinge, the valve 32 may be opened and a fresh supply oflubricant inserted through the port 31.

It is obvious that many changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or of the various claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A lubricating apparatus, v comprising a cup to store the lubricant, a pipe or tube extending therefrom, a nipple in connection with the said pipe, said nipple terminating at a point adjacent the crotch formed between the tire and the flange of a wheel, and

a plunger within the nipple, said plunger being provided with a conduit through which the lubricant is adapted to pass, one end of said conduit being normally closed by the wall of the nipple, said plunger being adapted to be unseated upon engagement with the rail, and means for applying pressure upon the lubricant retained within the apparatus.

2. A lubricating aparatus, comprising a cup to store the lubricant, a pipe or tube extending therefrom, a nipple in connection with said pipe, saidnipple terminating at a point adjacent the crotch formed between the tire and the flange of a wheel, and a plunger within the nipple, said plunger being provided with a conduit through which the lubricant is adapted to pass, one end of said conduit being normally closed by the' wall of the nipple, said nipple being formed with a beveled seat and said plunger being 'provided with a beveled head adapted to co operate with said seat, said plunger being provided wvith a conduit, one mouth of which is normally closed by the wallof the nipple, said mouth being adapted to be exposed when said head is forced off said seat, and means for applying pressure upon the lubricant which is retained within the apparatus.

3. A lubricating apparatus, comprising a cup to store the lubricant, a pipe or tube extending therefrom, a nipple in connection with said pipe, the discharge end of said 'fnipple being closely adjacent the flange of the wheel, said nipple being provided with two interior chambers of unequal diameters,

a plunger provided with a conduit through 5 normally closed by the Wall of said chamwhich the lubricant is adapted to pass, the many-closed conduit end will be in connecinain body of said plunger being received tion with the larger of said chambers.

Within the chamberof smaller diameter and In testimony [whereofv We hereunto one end of said conduit being adapted to be nesses. her, a head upon said plunger received Within the larger of said chambers, means for forcing lubricant under pressure from said cup and into the larger vof said chambers, and means for forcing the plunger inwardly into said nipple to a point Where said nor- JOSEPH M5WooDs.v FRED E. l. GIESEBRECHT.

lVitnesses:

ELLIOTT R. GOLDSMITH, R0151. KLoTz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five eents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- 1 Washington, D. 0. I

v [I I our signatures in the presence of two it i5 

